Proactive onboard drinks top up in Club World
 

Is it BA’s standard service to top up water and wine during meals in CW? Having taken a bunch of CW flights recently, I notice the regular fleet crew are 50% more alert to do drinks top up during meals, whereas 100% of the mixed fleet crew never bother to do that.

Can't remember a flight where I haven't gotten a top up :confused:

We flew to SEA in August 2017 in F and weren't offered a drink for the whole flight except for the first one with the main meal. Had to ask every time and I went to the galley a few times too. We did quickly get an apology from BA after complaining.

It’s standard on all flights but the new CW service is all routine over service.

Even the simplest of drinks - plain water - also was not topped up proactively whereas I recall BA used to do that. On most flights we were handed a small bottled water before the meal service - rightfully so as there may be some passengers who’d decline a meal and go straight to sleep - but is the expectation now that if your water glass is empty during the meal, you should then top up yourself by pouring from your own given bottle of water?!

On my way back from SFO last month upstairs they couldn't stop topping me up :)

If I were you, OP, I would never fly BA again!

I read this thread and just think why don't you just ask for more water or wine or whatever it maybe?

Was gonna say, I often get topped up TOO much.

That said - OP, definitely complain to BA.

There is a fine line between offering and interrupting. I much prefer not being approached with offers of this and that and to ask for what I want when I want. It gives me a reason to get up and stroll or to push the call button as I choose.

This is far from the first thread which implicitly criticizes the service for not running around.

I never seem to have a problem being topped up. My cup runneth over (figuratively) and as others have said, sometimes topped up a little too much :)

Seemed as if the issue was systematic and indicative of the flight... wouldn't do it for one miss, but if I were on the same glass of water/wine I'd started the meal on after a few passes, I'd not be impressed. That said, I'd have said something on board.

As I often drive on arrival, I have to stop them filling up my glass!

In fairness to BA, I would say this is one of their strong points (in J). I have found on occasion that I sit with an empty glass for too long in AA J - quickly rectified by a push of the call bell.

I share your grief, Brother. However, home-bound it’s a different story ;)

Very true.

Club Europe, not World, but last weekend to ARN and back, I was topped up to the tune of five glasses of champagne. Don't know if I got lucky (or unlucky previously!) but has never happened to that extent before.

I never get full value from CW ... I have to moderate drinking outbound [day flight] due to driving, and on the return it's a large port and ... ZZZZZZZZZZ

Hmmm I tried to do this in F on Saturday night on way back from SJC. i pressed the Call button 3 times (wanting some water) over 20 minutes. then got up and went to the Galley, and no-one was there. There was a 1/2 bottle of sparkling water on a trolley (with a nearly empty box of chocs) - but I couldn't find any glasses or cups. I had to go back through F & J to the next galley, where all the crew were sitting eating/chatting and the chap looking after F said, "yep I'll bring some down to you" which he did.

Didn't feel like F service, especially as a few times I was told, "sorry for the delay, but this is our first time doing the new CW product". I saw the CSD for the first time as we were getting ready to land.

Also, they didn't have my 1st or second choice of main course, and the pasta I had was inedible. I was offered something from CW, but declined and was glad i had the enormous Chicken Strippers at Joe's in the airport. [ the SJC lounge food was a few crackers and those plastic cheese cubes :) ]

I was on an avios plus GUF1 ticket, so maybe that contributed.

First world problems - hey-ho - and i feel a bit cheap for mentioning it. I survived! :)

Ah I remember ten years ago flying Malev (BUD-LHR) in biz, and was given a whole bottle of beaujolais because the cabin attendant said no one else was drinking it (only 2 others in biz), not sure how I got home, don't even know where I lived then.

Hahaha!

I must confess to feeling a little 'foggy' after some BA flights. In my experience they've been a little too generous!!

Running out of champagne in Club Europe
 

Gatwick to Faro on 15/5/18 BA2694 my husband had two small glasses of champagne. He asked for a top up and was told they had run out! Is this really likely given that they were coming straight back on a lunchtime flight?

On my LGW-CPT flight last December in CW, we had a great crew, while the wines on board weren't as listed, I had to stop them topping up my glass. Unfortunately on my CW flights into LHR from JNB & CPT my recent experience is that they run out of my choice of red wine very early in the flight, and then the alternative shortly afterwards. Getting water topped up seems to be even more difficult

Just arrived back from Shanghai in F yesterday and the ‘proactive’ top ups were certainly frequent!
Not helping my jet lag!!

Thinking back I don't think I've had a top up, ever. This is after about 6 or 7 Club World flights. I've never been offered a chocolate either, including one mildly irritating incident on the Babybus where I was waiting in keen anticipation for a sugar fix, only for the crew member to hand the whole thing over to the guy before me and tell him to, "just keep the box sir".

On our one and only First LHR - SEA, I was in 1A and my OH in 2A. I had one drink (alcoholic or otherwise) other than the welcome glass the whole 10 hour flight, no one came near me. I was therefore completely surprised when we landed and stood up to deplane and my OH was noticeably non-sober, having been cossetted by the same crew member who had spent the time studiously pretending I didn't exist. I should have said something at the time. I would these days. I'm sure had I rung the bell there would have been no problem, but it would have been nice if someone had checked in every couple of hours or so.

If there’s one thing I’ve never had a complaint about on BA, it’s drink top ups. Whether front, middle or back, short or long the crew has always kept me hydrated. At times even a little bit too hydrated.

what box is that? on the babybus you get a small individual box with two chocolates in, i am fairly sure it's placed on your tray. i don't remember ever seeing a larger box being offered around on CWLCY or exLHR CW. are you confusing this with a F flight?

also that's quite an achievement not to get top ups on the babybus considering the cc to passenger ratio and the small cabin. I can just about understand being forgotten sat in a window seat on a 777, but no idea how you would be forgotten on the babybus ;)

this is odd, did no cc come near you in 10 hrs? how did you manage to get fed?

EDIT: sorry I don't mean to subject to to any kind of inquisition on your post, but certainly your experiences seem very surprising.

The Babybus was in 2015 and I distinctly recall a deep bronze coloured card box (i.e. a few layers) being offered round the cabin. On the way over I wasn't feeling well so declined (and it must have been bad if I declined chocolate) but on the way back I was well up for a bit of junk food. Same large cuboid box but none for me. There were only about 10 of us on the whole plane that time.

On the SEA flight I ate with my OH at his seat, I stood up when I heard him being asked about food a couple of hours in and we arranged it. Took a spirit and mixer then. After the meal I went back to my seat with said drink and that was it until landing. Didn't sleep, just sat and read. I was in the nose of the 747 and the other row 1 seat was empty which may have had a bearing. The crew member was very chatty on landing, standing in row 2 and giving us hints on things to do in the Pacific North West so it wasn't all bad but it was a "once in a lifetime" redemption and was distinctly underwhelming. Eh, it was a trip for my OH's 30th so at least he got to enjoy BA's hospitality (the train journey to downtown is distinctly blurry for him as I understand it).

EDIT to say: Both my OH and myself have extreme form for being forgotten, or more accurately not noticed, not just on planes. Many's the time we've had to speak up to avoid getting missed with the trays in economy, or try desperately to get a server's attention. People's eyes just seem to slide over us. We just laugh now, because what else is there for it? One could get very wound up by it!